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Draenor Is Not All Beauty…

January 14th

Dear Journal,

Well, I think that Kae and I are finally getting used to our place in Draenor. Whomever thought it was such a great idea to put all of this responsibility for a garrison on us really needs to rethink that idea considerably because we’re just a Sentinel and a Scout, not Commanders of anything other than our own destiny. However, we’re trying to take it all in stride and we’re doing okay with it, no one has died and things seem to be building up nicely, regardless of how we feel about it.

I know that I definitely miss the simplicity of the farm in Halfhill and I am looking forward to taking some time off in the very near future and catch a portal back there, even if it is only for a few days, I miss our cozy little house, the farm life that we had. What I think I miss the most is the actual freedom of coming and going as I wished most of the time. Oh well, I know that times change and things have to change along with it, however, I’m not too keen on all of the changes.

I missed being able to go to Nagrand for the holidays, the old Nagrand, not the new one. I know that Mom was planning on carrying everything on the way that Dad wanted it done even if he wasn’t there to enjoy it either. Maybe he got lucky and got to go home for a little while at least. I know that it was always one of his favorite holidays and he always enjoyed everything when we could have the entire family together. I can well imagine that some people would be shocked to see a bunch of Sindorei and Kaldorei enjoying the holiday together since we’re supposed to be sworn enemies – well, someone forgot to tell my parents about that years ago. I don’t know how they have managed to hold us all together the way that they have all of these years, but they did and I’m much happier for it, no matter how strange it might seem to others.

I am still very enamored of Shadowmoon Valley here in Draenor and I suppose that that is a good thing because that is where our garrison happens to be. The rolling hills, the wildlife and the way that everything feels makes me think of it as a home, in some ways. I know that in my own timeline, it’s not this beautiful, it’s ugly, menacing and extremely dangerous with all of the demons that have taken over the area. Not here, it’s gorgeous even if it is does have its own brand of danger.

I know that Kae and I have spend some time just patrolling the general area and have actually made it to Gorgrond. Now, that area is totally different from Shadowmoon because it is more jungle than anything else. I know that the game is plentiful, so are the Horde. I know that we have side-stepped a few encounters because we were outnumbered three to one and I don’t think that either one of us can battle through those odds – the Iron Horde are definitely some of the fiercest people that I have ever had the misfortune to encounter.

From everything that I have seen and heard, they don’t take prisoners very often and if they do, woe to the poor person. I know that they don’t bury the dead all that often either, especially the people that they have defeated. I always thought that the Orcs in Kalimdor were rather barbaric in the ways that they did things, however, I don’t think that they can hold a light to how these people are. Fierce, savage and totally in the belief that they have the right to dominate everything they encounter. My heart truly does go out to the Draeni and some of the villages that we have seen because when the Iron Horde comes through, they kill everything – men, woman and children. I know that I caught Kae crying one afternoon after we had traversed the outskirts of one village and she had seen quite a few small bodies lying out there in the open for the carrion to get at them. There were too many for the two of us to bury – we had to mark the location on our maps and report it when we got back to our garrison so that a burial party could make their way there to make sure that everything was taken care of. I know that Draeni have special rites that they observe for the dead and we really weren’t sure how we were going to be able to handle that with the little bit of knowledge that we have about it.

I know that my Father used to tell us about the scourge in Northrend and how they would rage through an area and not leave a living soul for miles around. He also spoke about the attacks that happened to Silvermoon and the surrounding areas, however, he never talked much about how many people were killed and especially not about the women and children being killed. I’m sure that it happened, he just didn’t discuss it. I know it happened, that’s a part of war, however, I’ve never had to see it or live through before. I will admit that Kae isn’t the only one that has shed a tear for the loss of life.

I know that for all of the beauty that I see in the land, there is always some new horror awaiting us the further we patrol. I thought that things were dicey in Pandaria when we were stationed there, however, I don’t think that anything could have prepared us for what we’ve seen here. I wonder what the Orcs from Kalimdor must think of these Orcs in Draenor? Would they view them as true Orcs or would they view them for the savages that they truly are? It’s not just the Orcs either, I have seen some of the Draeni here go into a rage that has left me feeling somewhat awestruck with their ferocity.

I think I know how my Father must feel most of the time. His entire life has been made up of mostly nothing other than being in the military and serving his country. I can understand why he started his own business in Northrend when he was a young fellow and tried to break away from the constant war and conflict too – it makes you feel old sometimes makes you wonder why you keep going on with it. I feel it’s my duty to serve the Alliance, however, there is always that lingering doubt in my mind that I will never get to go back to the life that I wanted.

I know that there are times that Kae and I are just bone weary when we get back from our patrols to make our reports. I know that we always have to make sure that we are sending other people out to patrol when we aren’t doing it ourselves. It just makes you tired to think that this might be all that there is in this place sometimes.

At least we have made ourselves a comfortable spot over by the herb garden and we have some privacy there at least. I know that we have made it fairly clear to people that when we are in that area not to bother us unless it’s a matter of life and death. We need a break from the everyday functions of the place now and then too.

We were finally able to get a decent bed to sleep in although it’s not nearly as comfortable or as cozy as the one at the farm, however, it will have to do. Okay, we’re trying to establish some kind of domestic routine to help maintain our sanity. I was even able to get a stove shipped in for us to cook some of our meals. The mess hall is fine, however, there are times that we just want to cook the food ourselves and eat together alone. Oh sure, the main building is great for some of the things, however, Kae and I both have our privacy that we both crave and need – there are times, you know. I think that the two of us have gotten used to living at the farm where we weren’t surrounded constantly by people that wanted our attention for something all of the time and it was really started to wear on us both. I know that we have gotten some pretty odd looks from some of the people here when we decided to do our laundry and hung it out to dry in the sunshine by the house – well, we like clean clothes too.

Oh, it’s not all doom and gloom here by any means. If we just let ourselves stay immersed in nothing but the violence of the place, I’m sure that we would all go mad at some point. We’re here to do a job and protect Azeroth, however, we have our own emotional needs that need to be met or we would end being no better than the people we are fighting.